Melody with White Roses
by Gusty bv
Summary: Sometimes, life hands us a difficult decision. We can either choose a path of selfishness, or one of compromise. If it meant saving the life of someone you cared about, which would you choose? Alternate Universe.


I know, I just started another YGO fanfic, but I got an idea for this one based off a piece of artwork I found on Tumblr by everlast-forever-shine.

Yu-Gi-Oh! and all related characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi

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Prologue: Amane

Ryou Bakura paced about outside the door to his parent's room. A hoarse scream tore from his mother's throat, as he tried opening the door. It was locked; much like it had been for the past couple of weeks. His father had told him he wasn't allowed to see her, for fear he would catch what his mother had. But by the sounds she was making, Ryou didn't care if he got sick too. He wanted to hug his mother, tell her it'd be okay and to stop screaming so loud.

Faintly, he thought he heard his father talking to her through the door, "You're doing great Alice, just a little more. Come on, Push."

What was going on in there? Ryou knocked on the door to be let in, but his father simply told him to go play outside. The child paced and paced for what felt like hours. He looked out the hall window and saw that the sun had set. Father would likely want him in bed soon, but he still wanted to know if mother was alright. As he was walking back towards the door, one of their maids, Ishizu, walked out of the room carrying a heap of blood stained towels. She looked down at him, blocked the way with her foot.

"Young Master, your Father said-"

"It's alright Ishizu, let him in."

She nodded and let the child toddle into the room behind her. His father was leaning over his mother in the bed, wiping her forehead with a damp cloth. She looked even paler than the last time he'd seen her. Her chest rose and fell unevenly; a rough, crackling sound coming from the back of her throat. Ryou looked up at his father and his father gave him a weary smile in return. There was a bundle of cloth in his right arm. It shifted as he turned to look at his son.

"Father?"

"Ryou," the blue-haired man nodded in reply, "Want to meet your new sister?"

Ryou looked down at the bundle once more. Hearing a faint cooing sound, he drew nearer and pulled a flap of blanket down to get a better look. The baby's skin was pale, like Mother's; her hair even more so. Ryou imagined when she was older, it'd look just like his: white and fluffy. He laughed in delight as he was moving his hand away when she caught his finger. Her grip was strong.

"What's her name, Father?"

"Amane," he whispered. Ryou looked up and noticed he was staring at his Mother once more. Come to think of it, she hadn't said a word since he'd entered the room. Ryou waited until Amane had released his finger before going closer to the bedside.

"Mother?" he called softly, receiving no answer.

"She's resting, Ryou. She's had a long day. Perhaps you can visit with her tomorrow."

Ryou nodded reluctantly and sighed. His father patted him on the head with his free hand, "Now then, it's getting late Ryou. You should go get some rest, my son."

"But I want to stay with Mother…"

He sighed, "I know…tell her you love her and goodnight."

"Okay…" he muttered. Ryou stood up on his tip-toes and kissed her on the cheek, "Goodnight Mother, I love you…"

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Toss, turn, toss. It was like that for about an hour, until Ryou finally sat up. He couldn't get to sleep, something was bothering him. He needed to check on Mother. The way she'd looked earlier…so tired. He pulled the covers off without a second thought and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Ryou crept quietly to his door and cracked it a bit. The hall was quiet, save for the sound of a light breeze howling outside. The quarter moon poured in through the hall window, lighting up the cracks between the floor boards. The boy shuffled as quietly as he could along the hall until he had reached his parent's room once more. He thought about entering, and reached a hand up to turn the knob, but stopped when he heard voices on the other side.

"…let me help you…"

"…it's not right…"

"What about Amane?"

"…be alright…"

_Father must be in there with her_…he thought as he heard his mother break out into another horrible coughing fit. The boy's hand fell to his side and he quietly headed back to his room. Father would be angry if he caught him out of his room this late. He would do as his Father had asked and talk to her in the morning.

But there would be no time for conversation again. When Ryou awoke the next morning, the whole house felt different. None of the servants spoke to him, they simply nodded in acknowledgment. He went downstairs for breakfast, but the only one there was Ishizu. She was holding onto Amane, giving her a bottle of warm goat's milk. Ryou frowned slightly, as breakfast was always ready when he awoke and Father was usually waiting for him at the table.

Ryou went back into the living room and made for the stairs. That's when he heard a faint sobbing from down the hall and he followed it. The noise led him to his parent's room, where he found his Father oh his knees next to the bed. His hands clasped tightly around his Mother's. He was crying. Hayato looked up when he heard his son enter, eyes as red as a fresh spring apple, "She's gone…" he choked out. Ryou said nothing in reply. He simply walked over to his father, and buried his face in the grown man's chest.


End file.
